


Braids

by parappa_maxwell



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hair Braiding, Hurt, Light Angst, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-10-23 13:49:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17684675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parappa_maxwell/pseuds/parappa_maxwell
Summary: “Then you take one of the outer strands, I’ll start with the right one, and have it go over the middle one and take its place, then you go to left side and do it again, and you keep switching back and forth between the sides until you reach the end of your hair.”He undid the braid again.“Now you try.”





	1. Will you braid my hair?

**Nikki’s Pov**

 

I walked alone in the woods, trying to clear my head. Stupid Nurf being stupid. 

 

**_“You’re such a weirdo. What kind of girl doesn't know how to braid hair?”_ **

 

Ered didn’t know how to braid hair either, so why was I singled out? Because Ered was too cool? It was stupid. Everything was stupid. That was the only insult I could think of at the moment. I guess it's cause I was stupid too.

 

I sat alone on a log, fiddling with my hair, trying to braid it. It wasn't working. Why did I even care? It's not my fault my mom is to busy swiping right on Tinder to teach me how to braid hair properly. It’s not my fault none of my Dad’s stupid girlfriends cares enough about me to teach me. It's not my fault. 

 

I looked down at my stupid hair in its stupid knot that looks nothing like a stupid braid. I combed my fingers through it, undoing the messy knot I had created and tried again, and with effort, patience, and concentration… I still failed. I flipped my hair behind me, resting my elbows on my knees and my cheeks on my hands. Maybe I was too old to pout, but I didn’t care.

 

Suddenly I felt someone grab my hair. I jumped.

 

“Jesus Nik, calm down, it's just me.”

 

“Oh. What are you doing out here?”

 

“Blowing off steam. You're doing the same aren't you?”

 

“More like trying to.”

 

Max combed his fingers through my hair, spreading it out and such. He continued this for a bit and there were a few beats of comfortable silence between us. Then he spoke.

 

“Do you want me to punch the shit out of Nurf for you?”

 

“What? Why would I-”

 

“Don’t play dumb, Neil told me the whole story.”

 

“Oh. Then no, I don't want you to beat up Nurf, he's way bigger than you I don’t want you getting hurt.”

 

Max sighed. I thought he would protest, cuss me out, tell me he could do it, but he didn’t. I'm glad he didn't, because I like when he's honest with me. It's a sign he feels safe around me, and all I really want is for him to feel safe, he is half of my best friends after all. I don't know anything about his home life, but from the way he acts, the way he doesn't talk about it, the way his mood shifted on Parent’s Day, something tells me he doesn't get a lot of that ‘safe’ feeling at home.

 

He began to move my hair in a way that had a rhythm to it like there was a pattern. When he was done with the rhythm I had a braid in my hair. I looked at it excitedly.

 

“How did you…?”

 

“My Mom has me braid her hair all the time when she can’t do it herself.”

 

_ Can't do it herself? What did he mean by that? _

 

I didn't ask because I didn't want to push anything. This was the first time he had ever talked about her specifically. Usually, he would just say ‘my parents’ and nothing else.

 

“Do you think you could teach me how to braid hair too?”

 

“Yeah, I guess.”

 

He walked in front of me, pulling my hair forward and undoing the braid that he had previously put in it. 

 

“First, you divide your hair into three equal parts, and space them out.”

 

I nodded and he continued.

 

“Then you take one of the outer strands, I’ll start with the right one, and have it go over the middle one and take its place, then you go to left side and do it again, and you keep switching back and forth between the sides until you reach the end of your hair.”

 

He undid the braid again.

 

“Now you try.”

 

I followed each step and when I was done I had a braid. 

 

I smiled, and he smiled too, his tired eyes not quite matching the expression his mouth was making. Seeing him smile made me happier than I already was about my braid, I leaned in and hugged him.

 

“Thank you, Max.”


	2. Can I braid your hair?

**Max’s pov**

 

I walked alone in the woods, trying to clear my head. Fucking David being a dumbass. 

 

**_“C’mon Max, you don't even want to share a little about your family? Everybody else is talking about their families.”_ **

 

Ered wasn't talking about her family either, so why was I singled out? Because Ered was too cool? David was a fucking dumbass. Everyone was a fucking dumbass. That was the only insult I could think of at the moment. I guess it's cause I was a fucking dumbass too.

 

I walked along, my fists clenched in my pocket, my mind reeling with images of dumbass David talking about my dumbass parents. Why did I even care? It's not my fault my mom is too concerned with how she looks to give a shit about me. It’s not my fault my Dad is a sleazy drunk who can't be bothered to help me with my homework. It's not my fault.

 

I looked down at my dirty old sneakers. It was funny actually, in public we’re this picture perfect family, mint condition dolls, untouched and pristine, But behind closed doors… Everything changes. I stared at my sneakers as though my life depended on it, but then again if it did I probably would've looked away. Eventually, I did look up though to see Nikki sitting alone on a log. Wasn't she too old to pout? Then I remembered. Neil had told me something about Nurf being a dick to her because she couldn't braid hair. Nurf was a fucking dumbass.

 

I walked over to her, grabbing her hair and playing with it. She jumped harder than I’ve ever seen from her. Must’ve been lost in thought.

 

“Jesus Nik, calm down, it's just me.”

 

“Oh. What are you doing out here?”

 

“Blowing off steam. You're doing the same aren't you?”

 

“More like trying to.”

 

I combed my fingers through her hair, playing with it calmed me down. There were a few beats of comfortable silence between us. Then I spoke again.

 

“Do you want me to punch the shit out of Nurf for you?”

 

“What? Why would I-”

 

“Don’t play dumb, Neil told me the whole story.”

 

“Oh. Then no, I don't want you to beat up Nurf, he's way bigger than you I don’t want you getting hurt.”

 

I sighed, I was going to protest but something struck me as odd.

 

_ I don't want you getting hurt. _

 

Heh, she actually does give a shit about me. That’s a first. I don’t get a lot of that at home, no ‘I love you’, no trace of pride when I do something better than expected, not even a hug when I feel down. All I want is that safe feeling, but I never get it, especially not when I need it. Like when my dad is drunk and angry with me. Either way, it’s nice to know at least half of my friends care about me. 

 

I began to braid her hair, it was the least I could do for that feeling she just gave me. She may not know it but that feeling is very important to me. When I finished braiding Nikki’s hair she looked at it excitedly.

 

“How did you…?”

 

“My Mom has me braid her hair all the time when she can’t do it herself.”

 

I didn't notice at the time that I had said something about my mom. That was the first time I had ever talked about her specifically. Usually, I would just say ‘my parents’ and nothing else.

 

“Do you think you could teach me how to braid hair too?”

 

“Yeah, I guess.”

 

I walked in front of her, pulling her hair forward and undoing the braid that I had previously put in it. 

 

“First, you divide your hair into three equal parts, and space them out.”

 

She nodded and I continued.

 

“Then you take one of the outer strands, I’ll start with the right one, and have it go over the middle one and take its place, then you go to the left side and do it again, and you keep switching back and forth between the sides until you reach the end of your hair.”

 

I undid the braid again.

 

“Now you try.”

 

She followed each step and when she was done she had a braid. 

 

She smiled, and I smiled too, even though I was tired and upset, seeing her smile somehow made me happier. I enjoyed the moment, savouring every bit of happiness I could, it was nice, the feeling, it was really nice. I was caught off guard by a sudden embrace. 

 

“Thank you, Max.”

 

I’m not really one for any kind of physical contact, especially physical affection, but I figured I’d let it slide just this once.

 

“Shut the fuck up, I’m not a nice person, so don’t be thanking me for anything.”

 

A moment of silence.

 

“But… Thank you too, ya know, for everything.”


End file.
